Clip device



Nov. 5, 1969 o. J. PoUPrrcH 3,

CLIP DEVICE Filed Jan. 29, 1968 Oug/flesa Jules Pol/pitch His A H'ys United States Patent U.S. Cl. 206-65 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A clip for connecting a pair of containers of the type having an end rim bead, and including a body portion with depending flange formations shaped to provide a confining recess for snugly engaging and gripping the surfaces of the container beads of an adjacently positioned pair of containers and each clip device further including transverse aperture means traversing a common diametral portion between adjacent paired containers for receiving a portion of a handle member to support the connected pair of containers, and the handle portion being adapted to extend through the aperture means of an adjacent clip device connecting another pair of containers for securing together adjacent pairs of clip-connected containers as a portable package.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in clip means for connecting adjacent paired containers, such as cans, each having an end rim bead to be snugly engaged and gripped by the clip means.

An object of the invention is to provide container clip means for connecting an adjacent pair of containers by engagement with the beads and having aperture means traversing the clip means between the engaged containers for receiving a handle element therethrough.

Another object of the invention is to provide container clip means substantially of the above type wherein the aperture means of adjacent clip means are aligned for threading therethrough of a handle element to thus join together the adjacent clip means and multiple pairs of containers in portable package form.

A further object of the invention is to provide container clip means substantially of the above type wherein each clip means includes a pair of body elements with surface portions abutting and lapping one another along a diametral line traversing a connected pair of containers.

A still further object of the invention is to provide clip means substantially of the above type which may be conveniently formed of suitable plastic material and which lends itself to assembly-line positioning of adjacent pairs of cans with apertures of the clip means aligned facilitating threading therethrough of a handle element in forming a portable package of multiple paired containers.

The above and other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will hereinafter be more fully pointed out.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing two pairs of rim 3,480,136 Patented Nov. 25, 1969 beaded containers with each pair joined by clip means having associated therewith a carrying handle;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing a pair of containers joined by a clip means of FIG. 1 with a portion of the handle associated therewith;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a pair of cams joined by a modified clip means with a portion of the handle associated therewith;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the clip means of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view showing pairs of containers joined by a further modified clip means with a portion of the handle associated therewith;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 88 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the form of clip shown in FIG. 7;

FIGS. 10a, 10b, and are diagrammatic views showing manipulation of pairs of cans bringing together the clip means for association of a handle therewith.

Referring more in detail to the accompanying drawing, a four-container pack is shown in FIG. 1. These containers are illustrated as conventional cans arranged in pairs 10, 10a and 12, 12a. Each container has an end rim in the form of a peripheral bead or chime 14, 14a, 16, 16a, respectively, projecting upwardly from the container end and slightly outwardly from the outer surface of the container body. The cans 10, 10a are joined together by a two-part clip device generally designated by the numerals 18, 18:11 and the cans 12, 12a are joined together by a two-part clip device generally designated by the numerals 20, 2011. A handle 22 in the form of a suitably bent wire or other type of strand structure has the lower horizontal portion 24 thereof extending through suitable aperture means (to be described hereinafter) in the clip devices for associating the clipped pairs of cans in a unitary package. The handle may include end leg portions with one provided with a hooked interconnection 23 with the horizontal portion 24.

The details of the clip devices of FIG. 1 are more particularly shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 to which reference is now made for a description of the cooperating clip parts 18, 18a. The clip part 18 includes a horizontal body portion having a groove 26 therein generally conforming to the curvature of the container head 14. This groove 26 is defined by inner and outer depending flange formations 27, 28. The inner and bottom edge portions of the flange 27 snugly fit the inner surface of the head 14 and the adjacent surface of the container end. The outer flange 28 depends along the side of the associated container and below the flange 27. This flange formation 28 includes an inwardly directed intermediate shoulder portion 29 which snugly fits beneath the bottom exposed and outwardly extending edge of the bead 14 with the rimming surface engaging the container body therebelow. In normal position, the throat between the inner bottom edge of the flange 27 and the shoulder 29 of the flange 28 is less than the corresponding tranverse dimension of the bead 14 so that the clip 18 can be forced over the associated container bead to provide a stressed snap fit therewith snugly engaging the bead surfaces with the shoulder portion 29 giving support to the container by engagement with the underside of the exposed head. The clip part 18a is similar in configuration but reversed for similar snug engagement with the engaged portion of the bead 14a on the container 10a. Thus, the inner flange portion 27a engages the inner surface of the bead 14a and the adjacent top surface of the container end and the shoulder 29a, on the outer flange 28a engages beneath the outwardly extended exposed portion of the bead 14a. Each clip part 18, 18a includes an aperture therethrough and extending transversely between the associated containers 10, 10a. These apertures are aligned with one another to receive the portion 24 of the handle. Inthis manner, the two clip parts 18, 18:: are connected together with their adjacent overlapping surface areas 30, 30a in abutment along the coincident diameter lines across the connected containers.

A modified form of two-part clip device is shown in FIGS. and 6. In this form the body parts 32, 32a have similar groove and depending inner and outer flange formations 38, 38a, 40, 40a, respectively, as described above in connection with the clip parts 18, 18a for snap engagement with the adjacent bead portions of adjacent containers to be connected together. These clip body parts 32, 32a are each provided with outwardly offset portions 34, 3411 having lapping surface areas 36 in mutual abutment so that the remaining surface areas of the offset portions 34, 34a are also in abutment. It is through the offset portions 34, 34a; that the aperture means is formed 'to traverse the spaces between the containers and receive therethrough the portion 24 of the handle. As in the case of the surface areas 30, 30a in connection with the clip members 18, 18a, the lapping surface areas 36 are disposed along the coincident transverse diameter lines of the connected containers.

The two-part clip devices shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 lend themselves to manipulation of the containers in automatic machinery as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. a, 10b, 100. Thus, the containers may be rotated relative to one another until as they are fed along a line, for example, the clip members 18, 18a abut one another along the coincident diameter lines of the adjacent conposition, the abutting surfaces 30, 30a of the clips are along the coincident diameter lines of the adjacent containers so that the apertures through these clips are in alignment along an axis normal to the coincident diameters of connected containers for accepting the portion 24 of the handle. Such portion 24 of the handle passing through the aperture means of the clips provides a pivotal mounting therefor such that the lower ends of the containers tend to at least approach an abutting position with respect to one another. Thus, the individual clips with the included handle portion 24 secure together an adjacentpair of cans and the continuation of the handle portion through the apertures of another pair of clips serves to associate an additional pair of cans in a composite package. When the handle portion 24 is extended through an adjacent pair of clips, as shown in FIG. 1, the end portions 21, 21a of the handle may be brought into close proximity to the outermost clip part thus to closely confine the clip parts and bring container disposed longitudinally of the handle into abutting relationship. Thus, with reference to FIG. 1, the containers 10- 12 and the containers 10a-12a will be in abutting relationship with onen another to for ma rather tight package as the same is lifted by the handle for transport.

Another form of clip device is'shown in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9. The one-piece clip body 40 is provided with integral laterally projecting body portions 42, 42a each terminating in an inner depending flange 43, 43a, respectively, snugly engaging the adjacent surface of the container beads 14, 14a, resp ctively. Likewise, the body portions are provided with depending inner flange formations 44, 44a engaging the outer surfaces of the container beads and each being provided with an inwardly extending lug portion 46, 46a, respectively, to engage beneath the undersurface of an associated container bead. Here again, the throat formation between the flanges is such that the clip is snapped over the beads of adjacent containers to snugly and resiliently grip the enclosed beads. The clip body 40 is also provided with a transverse aperture therethrough and extending along the space between the connected containers and normal to the coincident diameters of connected containers. As illustrated, this aperture is formed by a slot 47 between the adjacent surfaces of the depending flange formations 44, 44a to receive the portion 24 of the handle. With this type of clip device, pairs of containers can be arranged as shown in FIG. 7 with a clip body 40 associated with each pair of containers. With the handle portion 24 extending through the apertures, and with the end portions 21, 21a of the handle closely confining the spaced clips, the containers 10-12 can be maintained in abutting relationship as are the containers 1011-1211.

While certain forms of the invention have been shown for purposes of illustration, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A carrier device for containers of the type having an end rim bead; and comprising clip means to be disposed between the beads of adjacent paired containers and including a pair of body parts extending in opposite directions from an axis therethrough extending between the adjacent ends of the containers and normal to a coincident diameter line transversely across the paired containers, each body part including a bead-engaging recess defined by inner and outer depending flange portions an associated container, each said outer flange portion joined through the body part, each inner flange portion snugly engaging the inner bead surface and adjacent end of an associated container and each outer flange portion snugly engaging the corresponding outer bead surface of an associated container, each said outer flange portion depending below the outer bead surface and including an inwardly directed shoulder underlying the bottom outwardly extending associated bead surface, said pair of body parts having adjacent surfaces lapping and abutting one another along the coincident diameter line, relative dimensioning between the flange portions and a predetermined bead size providing a throat opening such that the flange portions and the shoulders are slightly expanded upon assembly with a bead to resiliently and grippingly engage the bead for supporting the container, and transverse aperture means through the abutting surfaces of each of said pair of body parts and substantially normal to the coincident diameter line across the paired containers for receiving a handle element for carrying the connected containers.

2. A carrier device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each body part includes mating laterally offset portions in lapping and abutting relationship with the aperture means extending through said offset portions.

3. A handled package of a plurality of paired containers each having an end rim bead; and comprising clip means of plastic material associated with each pair of containers and including a separate body part extending laterally over each adjacent container bead, each body part having an edge portion adapted to lap and abut a corresponding edge portion on an adjacent body part and including spaced depending inner and outer flange portions defining therebetween a recess snugly receiving the adjacent portion of a container bead and each outer flange portion having inwardly directed shoulder means engaging beneath the exposed lower edge of an associated 5 6 container bead, aperture means extending through each References Cited clip means centrally of the abutting edge portion of the UNITED STATES PATENTS body parts thereof, and handle means including a support element extending through the aperture means of 13001109 4/ 1931 Sehgadjacent clip means for securing the same against separa- 2,878,930 3/1959 Then tion and permitting containers disposed along the axis of 5 3,199,908 8/1965 Poupitchsaid handle means to abut one another when the package is grasped for transport MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner 4. A package as claimed in claim 3, wherein each body U S Q X R part includes interfitting lateral offset portions through 10 which the aperture means extends. 24-81;22445;294-87.2

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION November 25, 1968 Patent No. 3'48O136 Dated J P '1: h Imentofls) Oug1 esa ules oupic It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4 line 38, cancel "an associated container, each said outer flange portion".

Signed and sealed this 30th day of May 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer FORM PO-IOSD (10-69) ugc 50375 pug 

